Elliot Davis T20 Asia Blaze 2017

Pakistan Clinch 2017 Trophy in 15 Run Win Against Afghanistan

After 3 months of hard fought competition, Pakistan emerged victorious in this year’s Elliott Davis T20 Asia Blaze. Their campaign got underway on 9th May with a win against Sri Lanka and they never looked back as they went on to top their group. Full results available here.

Unfortunately, Sri Lanka had to forfeit their semi-final encounter with Pakistan so, instead, Pakistan played an exhibition match against a Rest of Asia XI. The team, made up of players from the other teams not playing in the second semi-final (Bangladesh vs Afghanistan), pushed the eventual champions close in a gripping match where Pakistan got over the line by the tightest of margins with a 2-run win.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh, who had come through the group stages unscathed, faced up to Afghanistan in the second semi-final. Having already beaten them in the group stages, Bangladesh were confident of victory, but, after another tight match, Afghanistan emerged victorious and booked their place in the final.

Speaking after the match, Sameem, the Afghanistan team manager, described the match as “probably the best game I have seen since this tournament began.”

On 15th August, at a sun-bathed Leyton Cricket Ground, Pakistan met Afghanistan in the final of the Elliot Davis T20 Asia Blaze 2017. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked to be a tricky pitch to bat on and so it proved as Pakistan struggled to a seemingly low total of 99/6 from their 20 overs. A healthy sized crowd had formed to watch the match by the halfway stage and on Facebook Live a massive audience of over 10,000 people were watching on from all over the world!

Heading into the second innings, most had assumed that the, so far unconquered, Pakistan team would finally be beaten, but, Pakistan had other ideas as they produced a stunning bowling performance to dismiss Afghanistan for 84 and seal victory. Congratulations to Pakistan!

We would like to congratulate and thank everyone who has taken part as a player, umpire, scorer, organiser, team manager during this year’s competition. Without your volunteered time, we wouldn’t be able to run this kind of competition! THANK YOU!

We already cannot wait for next year’s competition when we hope to expand and bring in a West Indies team!